Nigerians who have changed their telephone numbers may encounter difficulties receiving notifications for the Federal Government’s ₦50,000 relief grant if their previous numbers remain in the records used to identify beneficiaries.
The National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), administered by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, relies on the National Social Register and verified national identity records to identify eligible recipients.
According to the official NERSI FAQ, selected beneficiaries receive SMS notifications through the phone numbers obtained from those records.
However, the government has not published a specific procedure for people whose registered numbers are no longer in use.
Why does NERSI use phone numbers?
The programme is designed to deliver financial assistance directly to selected Nigerians through mobile wallets.
After beneficiaries are identified, their designated payment providers send SMS notifications containing instructions for accepting the grant.
The government says the wallet is linked to the beneficiary’s telephone number and National Identification Number (NIN).
This makes the telephone number an important part of the payment process.
A beneficiary who no longer has access to the number in the relevant records may therefore encounter difficulties receiving notifications or completing the consent process.
However, the ministry has not confirmed that every outdated telephone number automatically prevents payment.
Can you receive NERSI payment with a new number?
The official FAQ does not provide a definitive answer.
It explains that the programme uses phone numbers obtained from verified records but does not specify whether beneficiaries can replace those numbers after selection.
Consequently, it would be inaccurate to claim that simply obtaining a new SIM card automatically transfers a pending grant.
It would also be misleading to suggest that every beneficiary with an outdated number has permanently lost the money.
The appropriate procedure requires clarification from the ministry or designated payment provider.
What if the old SIM is still registered in your name?
The government’s guidance specifically addresses lost phones and SIM cards.
It advises beneficiaries to contact their payment providers immediately and obtain replacement SIM cards with the same numbers from their mobile network operators.
This suggests that recovering the existing registered number is an established option where the SIM has been lost.
However, replacing a lost SIM with the same number is different from changing the number associated with the beneficiary’s identity records.
The FAQ does not treat those situations as identical.
Can NIN details be updated?
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) maintains Nigeria’s national identity database.
People whose identity information is inaccurate may need to follow NIMC’s authorised correction procedures.
However, the NERSI FAQ does not confirm that updating a telephone number in the national identity database will automatically update a previously generated NERSI beneficiary record.
The relationship between changes made after selection and the payment provider’s records remains unclear.
Beneficiaries should therefore seek confirmation before assuming that an identity-record update will resolve a payment problem.
What if another person now uses your former number?
This raises an important security concern.
A telephone number that is no longer controlled by its former user may eventually be assigned to another subscriber.
If a programme notification is sent to that number, the current user could receive a message intended for someone else.
However, receiving such a message does not establish that the current user is entitled to the grant.
NERSI says beneficiary selection is linked to verified identity information and requires consent.
The public FAQ does not explain the complete procedure for handling recycled numbers.
Anyone receiving a notification apparently intended for another person should contact the provider rather than attempt to claim the payment.
Can an agent help change the registered number?
The government says nobody can add a person to the beneficiary list or influence payment in exchange for money.
There is also no public NERSI registration process.
Consequently, individuals should avoid paying agents who promise to replace telephone numbers in the programme’s records or redirect payments.
They should not disclose NIN details, PINs or one-time passwords to unofficial contacts.
What should affected Nigerians do?
People who have lost access to their original numbers should first establish whether the numbers can be recovered through their mobile network operators.
If the issue involves a completely different number, they should contact the NERSI programme for guidance.
The official helpline is 0700-022-2222.
They may also contact their designated payment provider if they have already received a selection notification.
The key point is that NERSI uses telephone numbers obtained from verified records, but its public FAQ does not provide a guaranteed procedure for transferring an existing grant to a new number.